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Use a VPN to Watch Netflix Abroad? Prepare to Be Cut Off

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Using a proxy to watch movies and TV on Netflix that aren't available in your geographic region? You better binge on that restricted content this weekend, because it probably won't be available for much longer.

Netflix on Thursday announced a new effort to crack down on proxies or "unblockers," like VPN services, which allow users to fool the company's systems into thinking they're in a different country and access additional content not available where they live.

"In coming weeks, those using proxies and unblockers will only be able to access the service in the country where they currently are," Netflix's Vice President of Content Delivery Architecture, David Fullagar, wrote in a blog post. "We are confident this change won't impact members not using proxies."

The change comes after Netflix last week at CES announced a huge international expansion that makes the streaming service almost global. Netflix is now available in 190 countries, but the service has a long way to go before it offers the same films and TV series everywhere.

The company currently licenses content by geographic territories, meaning the TV shows and movies available on the service differ, to varying degrees, by region.

"We look forward to offering all of our content everywhere and to consumers being able to enjoy all of Netflix without using a proxy," Fullagar wrote. "That's the goal we will keep pushing towards." But for now, the company will "continue to respect and enforce content licensing by geographic location," he said.

The news comes about a year after reports that Netflix was cracking down on those who used VPN services to bypass content restrictions for their geographical locations. Netflix, however, said that was nothing new. "We use industry standard methods to block VPNs. Always have and always will," a Netflix spokesman said at the time.

In 2013, though, Sony Pictures Television executive Steve Mosko said Netflix does "not closely monitor where some of their subscribers are registering from and don't take steps to counter circumvention websites that allow people in."

Pressure from studio heads likely influenced Netflix's most recent decision. Those studios are likely less inclined to license their content to Netflix if the company cannot ensure that geographic restrictions will be enforced.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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